Detroit Pistons vs Philadelphia 76ers Betting Prediction and Odds March 31
Detroit Pistons vs Philadelphia 76ers Betting Preview
WagerTalk NBA handicapper Andy Lang offers his Detroit Pistons vs Philadelphia 76ers betting preview for Thursday, March 31. At the time of posting, the 76ers have opened as a 9.5-point road favorite in Detroit, with the total sitting at 223.5 points.
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| Thursday, March 31 | NBA Betting Notes |
|---|---|
| Point Spread: | Philadelphia 76ers -9.5 at Detroit Pistons |
| Total: | 223.5 Points |
| Game Time: | 7:10pm ET / 4:10pm PT |
| Arena: | Little Caesars Arena in Detroit |
| TV: | Bally Sports Detroit |
Detroit Pistons vs Philadelphia 76ers Analysis
The Philadelphia 76ers travel to Detroit for an Eastern Conference matchup with the Pistons on Thursday night. The Pistons fell to 20-56 on the season after losing 130-123 in Brooklyn against the Nets. The 76ers let one slip away as they lost 118-116 at home against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night.
Philadelphia has won the first two of four head-to-head meetings, 110-102 at home and 109-98 in Detroit. The 76ers look to right the ship as they enter the post-season, while the Pistons look forward to the off-season.
Pistons and Cunningham Hanging Tough
The Detroit Pistons have been one worst teams in the NBA throughout the season. They are currently tied with the Orlando Magic for worst record in the Eastern Conference. They fought hard in their last game against the Brooklyn Nets, leading by 12 midway through the second quarter, but ultimately couldn’t keep up with 41 points from Kevin Durant and lost by seven. Cade Cunningham led Piston scorers with 34 points.
On one hand, Detroit has been horrendous, losing nine of their last 11 with the last three being against the Washington Wizards, New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets. But they have consistently exceeded expectations, going 15-2-2 against the spread during their last 19 games.
Detroit has been one of the worst offensive teams in the league, ranking 28th in points scored with only 104.5 per game. Now they are playing without their leading scorer in Jerami Grant, who is out for the remainder of the season with a calf injury. Corey Joseph is also questionable for Wednesday night’s contest.
The Pistons have improved defensively as they rank 21st in points scored for the season, but rank ninth over their last ten games.
76ers Creating Shadow of Doubt
The Philadelphia 76ers fell to 46-29 after losing a hard fought game against the Milwaukee Bucks. They led by ten points at halftime before falling behind and ultimately losing 118-116 on game winning block by Giannis Antetokounmpo in the closing moments. James Harden scored 32 points and snagged nine rebounds in the loss, while Joel Embiid had 29 points and 14 rebounds.
Philadelphia has dropped to fourth place in the log jam that is the top of the East. However they are only 1.5 games behind the first place Miami Heat.
The 76ers are fortunate in that they don’t have a single player listed on their injury report. The 76ers have fallen short against playoff teams more often than not recently. Over their last ten games they have beaten the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat but lost to the Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors, Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks. The Suns and Bucks losses were their last two games.
Philadelphia’s defense has consistently ranked just outside the top-five in scoring defense. The 76ers rank 20th in scoring with 108.9 points per game.
Detroit Pistons vs Philadelphia 76ers Prediction
We mentioned how the well the Pistons have done against the spread recently. But on the other side of things, the 76ers have owned the Pistons, going 12-4 ATS in their last 16 games. I fully expect the 76ers to be out for blood after losing two straight games against NBA Championship contenders.
Another factor is the health of Cade Cunningham. The rookie guard isn’t listed on the injury report, but did have a tailbone injury last game against Brooklyn. If the Pistons fall behind early they may just decide to wave the white flag. It’s a huge spread, but Philly seems to have the Pistons’ number.
Official Play: Philadelphia 76ers -9.5
NBA Stat Sheet
Each day, WagerTalk handicapper Ralph Michaels puts together his NBA Stat Sheet, which offers a head-to-head comparison for how teams are performing in a number of key areas heading into a game. Check out Thursday’s sheet, with notes on tonight’s Detroit Pistons vs Philadelphia 76ers contest.
NBA Tip-Off Show
Join Joe Raineri and a rotating panel of professional handicappers for the NBA Tip-Off Show every Monday-Friday at 4:15pm ET / 1:15pm PT as we discuss tonight’s marquee games. Stay up-to-date on the latest NBA news, stats, analysis, and predictions with our panel of pro sports bettors as they preview tonight’s NBA action, including this Detroit Pistons vs Philadelphia 76ers clash.
WagerTalk NBA Odds Screen
WagerTalk’s live odds screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the NBA point spreads, moneylines, first half lines and betting percentages for all of Thursday’s NBA games, including this Detroit Pistons vs Philadelphia 76ers showdown, from your desktop or phone.
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Meet the Author
Andy Lang has lived in Indianapolis his whole life, and like most people from the Hoosier State, he became fascinated with motor sports. That interest in motor sports turned into a desire to make money off the sport through fantasy contests and sports betting. Like most, he took his lumps when he first got started, but now he is one of the most respected NASCAR bettors in the industry. Andy has expanded that sports betting experience to become profitable in a number of other sports, transforming this interest from a side hobby to a major source of income.
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